Pokemon: Legends Awaken
by Kingpredator125
Summary: Matt Erikson sets off on his Pokemon journey aiming to become the champion of the Indigo League, making friends and rivals along his way. But when Matt begins to notice strange occurrences and makes powerful enemies, he and his friends may find themselves in the middle of an epic conflict nearly two millennia in the making
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The storm continued to rage. Freezing rain pelted down upon the restless ocean as waves crashed across the jagged shoreline of a small uninhabited island. Powerful winds ripped through the dark clouds that covered the Orange Islands, shaking topical palm trees and causing wild Pokémon to scurry for cover. The Eon Pokemon flew across the top of the water, skimming the rolling waves with his jet-like wings. Latios focused his Psychic powers upon himself and enfolded his jet shaped body with a slick feathery down which caused himself to become invisible to the naked eye. The legendary Pokemon continued to shoot across the ocean at maximum speed, not wishing to waste any time.

In a matter of hours Latios crossed the entire ocean, far away from the normally calm waters of the Orange Islands and the bright lights of the large cities in Kanto. He knew he had reached his destination when a small island made entirely of stone began to creep up over the horizon. It was nearly dawn by the time Latios finally set foot on the island. Streaks of purple, red and orange seem to set fire to the still stormy sky. Latios shook out his feathery coat under the cover of a large pine tree and levitated towards a small cave burrowed into the face of the island's rocky surface. He ducked his head under the jagged stone ceiling above him and floated onward into a secret paradise hidden from the prying eyes of the world.

Latios levitated into an enormous forest, healthy and unpolluted. Green trees towered high above his head, colourful flowers dotting the pristine pathway towards the center of the forest. Flying slowly towards the clearing in the middle of the forest, Latios craned his neck to try to get a better look at the hulking, powder blue and purple mass sitting at the center of the clearing.

'_Well hey there serious!'_

Latios jumped at the sound of the voice inside his head. The voice was bright and child-like and Latios instantly recognized who must be engaging him telepathically.

'_Mew', _Latios regarded the legendary Pokemon telepathically.

The large blue and purple Pokemon sitting in the clearing turned its head and Latios recognized it instantly.

'_And Suicune too'_ Latios spoke telepathically to both Pokemon in the clearing. _'I didn't expect to meet you here as well'._

Out of the corner of his eye, Latios noticed a small, pink, cat-like Pokemon fly out from a small group of birch trees. Mew danced through the air, rolling in somersaults and flying upside down.

_'So what's up Latios?'_ Mew asked wistfully. _'I hope you have some good news for me'._

_'Thankfully I do',_ Latios responded. _'Though not everything has returned to normal I can assure you that all of three Birds have returned safely to their respective islands of residence. Lugia was forced to get involved in order to ensure their safety but the enemy has most certainly gone. The weather in the Orange Islands is still turbulent but it should pass soon, once Lugia and the Birds have rested and calmed a little'. _

_'Good, good I'm glad to hear it'_, Mew responded with an audible sigh of relief. _'And you are sure the enemy has cleared the area?'_

_'I am', _Latios replied confidently. _'I've been monitoring the area for the past thirty-six hours or so and there has been no sign of them. Their airship was severely damaged and they were forced to retreat, likely to their base of operations'._ Latios also let out an audible sigh. _'Unfortunately I had not reached the islands by the time they had left and none of the others were able to pursue them since they were still dealing with the aftermath of the attack. So we still have no leads on where to find them.'_

Suicune made an audible frustrated grunting noise before addressing the other Legendary Pokemon telepathically.

_'They command gigantic airships and no doubt are of a significant number and yet we still cannot find them'. _Suicune let out a low growl. _'It frustrates me so that they always remain several steps ahead of us'._

_'Regardless, what has happened has happened'_, Mew cut in. _'It is best not to dwell on it and try to continue to move forward. Suicune, you have not even told Latios your news yet'. _

Latios turned and directed his attention to Suicune who was now sitting up straighter and looking less upset than she had been a moment ago. Latios had been curious as to why Suicune had also come to speak with Mew, as he had not been expecting the Legendary Dog's presence.

_'Yes Latios, I have become aware of some very interesting developments'. _Suicune's voice was now smooth and even and carried a touch of femininity. _'I have just come from Kanto. The fifth child has been born'._

Latios immediately perked up. _'The fifth child? Are you sure? How do you know this, Suicune?'_

_'I assure you, the fifth child has most definitely joined us. I could feel it in my very bones; I have been chosen to watch over this one. The child's power is immense; I have no doubt in my mind that it is the most powerful of the five so far, though I'm sure the other Guardian Pokemon would like to argue otherwise'. _

_'I see'_, Latios replied, taking in Suicune's words. _'That means roughly half of the children are now present. This certainly is promising for our side'. _

_'That may be'_, Mew began, its voice now level and serious. _'But nothing is assured, especially not this early in the grand scheme of things; these are still children no older than four. Remember, the enemy found out about those original few and made quick work of them, and they were all formidable men and women. It goes without saying then that these children will need our upmost protection. It is absolutely vital that we do not allow them be discovered'. _

Mew's last sentence was spoken with the stern seriousness of a command rather than as just a statement and both Suicune and Latios nodded to Mew in understanding of its orders. After a moment of solemn silence Mew returned to its carefree floating about the forest, lazily rolling and twirling through the air.

_'Latios how is your sister? Is she safe?' _Mew asked as it continued to fly amongst the trees.

_'She has been holding up alright, though everything has been confusing for her_', Latios replied. _'She's still so young after all. Cresselia is still watching over her, they have found a safe haven hidden from the prying eyes of humans'._

_'It's understandable, of course',_ Mew replied. _'I certainly hope they are holding up alright'._

Suicune stepped up next to Latios. Latios nodded to the Aurora Pokemon and then turned towards the exit of the cavern and back into the outside world.

_'Stay safe Mew'_, Suicune said quietly. _'I'll return to my watch over the new child and ensure it remains safe'._

_'Please do'_, Mew replied approvingly. _'Remember, you two must stay safe as well so please don't be reckless. Now that there are more children are all among us we must be more vigilant than ever. Some of the others have expressed concern that the enemy may be beginning to suspect the presence of the children'. _

Latios and Suicune both nodded solemnly and began to move towards the entrance of the cavern. They didn't speak, as both were heavily in deep thought. They reached the rocky surface of Faraway Island, stepping out into the light rain now falling upon the small island's treacherous shoreline which helped keep the island safe from human contact.

_'Where are you off to now, Suicune?'_ Latios asked.

_'Back to Kanto of course'_, Suicune replied simply. _'I want to watch over this child and see how its powers develop'._

_ 'So, Suicune'_, Latios started as the sun began to peek over the horizon. _'Do you really believe this new child is the most powerful of them all?'_

_'Of course'_, Suicune responded flatly. _'I have never been as convinced about anything in my life. I believe this child may be the one who will save us all'._

Before Latios could give any sort of reply Suicune swiftly jumped out into the ocean, using her Water abilities to land on her feet on top of the water's surface. The Aurora Pokemon glanced back at Latios once before turning and jumping across the ocean's surface towards the south.

_'I certainly hope you're right'_, Latios thought to himself before spreading his blue wings and taking off from rocky surface of island, beginning his long flight back across the ocean towards the still stormy waters of the Orange Archipelago.

* * *

**Author's Note: Alright, after much procrastinating and triple spell-checking I've finally decided to begin posting this story more than a year after I began writing. Please review and let me know what you think of the prologue- what did you like or dislike? What could I improve on in future chapters? Any and all constructive feedback is very much appreciated! **

**In the first real chapter of this story I'll be introducing my main protagonist and we'll get into the main storyline. Also, I am planning this story to be the first in four part series so my apologies if things progress kind of slowly- I'll do my very best to try to move the plot along at a reasonable pace and keep things interesting!**

**Till next chapter!**

**-Kingpredator125**


	2. Chapter 1: Matt Erikson

**Chapter 1**

** Matt Erikson**

I had been waiting for this day for years. For pretty much my whole life really. The bus would arrive just before lunchtime and I'd finally be on my way. My life as a Pokemon Trainer would finally begin.

I threw off my covers and rolled slowly out of bed. Faint sunlight crept in through my blinds and I pulled them away from the window to take a look outside. It was the first pleasant day we'd had in what must have been weeks now. The sun was shining and the air was calm, a perfect contrast to the cool and stormy weather we'd been faced with for what had seemed like an eternity. A pair of brown and beige Pidgey settled on the sturdy branches of a large oak just outside my second floor bedroom window and cawed happily, making their Pokemon noises. I pulled the blinds shut again and turned to make my bed. I wouldn't be seeing it again for a while so I decided I better make it up nicely before I left.

Once I finished pulling my comforter across the large double bed, I undressed out of my pajamas and headed into the shower in the bathroom across the hall from my room. I let the nearly scalding water crash down across my shoulders, soaking in as much of the simple luxury as I could. I knew I'd be sure to miss my usual hot showers once I was roughing it out on my journey. After several minutes I heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hurry up Matt!" I heard my mother's voice call. "Your breakfast will get cold!"

I would have been a fool to miss my last home cooked breakfast for who knew how long. I washed my hair quickly and stepped out of the shower to towel off. Within minutes I was fully dressed in my travel gear- special waterproof, dark wash jeans that I had ordered online from the Celadon City department store; orange and white high-top sneakers and a black t-shirt that I'd had for years; an all-weather orange jacket that I received for my seventeenth birthday over the past weekend; and an old blue baseball cap with fading gold Poké Ball marking that I had bought at the Pokemon Expo which had been held in Cerulean City a few years before. I did up my belt and checked my jeans pockets to make sure my wallet and cell phone were on me and then headed downstairs for breakfast.

I reached the kitchen at the bottom of the stairs and found my dad and sister already seated at the kitchen table. My dad put down the newspaper he was reading and gave me a wide grin. My father was a pretty average looking man; he had short black hair that was beginning to get a salt-and-pepper look and wore dark rimmed square glasses. His only real distinguishing feature was his long sideburns which he jokingly stated was 'hip with the kids' or something ridiculous like that. Today he was dressed in a freshly ironed navy blue polo shirt and a pair of khakis. My father was a teacher at one of the local Pokemon Trainers Schools where he taught subjects like geography, history and so forth since he had never been a Trainer himself. My mom was a teacher at the same school, mostly working with younger kids and teaching them about the vary basics of Pokemon. She had not been a Trainer either but had some basic knowledge and experience working with Pokemon from one of the jobs she had before teaching.

"Well son, are you excited?" my dad asked as I sat down at the kitchen table beside him.

"Of course", I grinned. "Today's the first step in becoming the Indigo League champion".

"Yeah! League champion!" Rose echoed enthusiastically from across the table.

Rose was my six year old sister and, I figured, as far as little sisters go she was a pretty good one. She was due to start her first year at the Trainer's school in the fall and she never let anyone forget it.

"I'm gonna be a super cool Trainer like Matt someday", she stated proudly, her little brunette pigtails bobbing up and down on her head. My mom walked over from the kitchen counter with a pitcher of orange juice and smiled at Rose. Rose was the spitting image of my mom; the same chocolaty brown hair and the same sparkling blue eyes. My mom filled up Rose's glass with juice and then filled mine as well as I began to dig into the pancakes that had been waiting on the table for me.

"I'm sure you will Rose", my mom said happily as she finished pouring my glass of orange juice. "Do you have everything all ready to go, Matt?"

"Mhmm", I managed through a mouthful of pancakes. "My bag's sitting on the couch over there". I pointed to my very stuffed black and grey backpack sitting on the couch in the adjacent living room.

"Sleeping bag, maps and water bottles?" my dad asked.

"Yup, and an umbrella, extra clothes and food too", I confirmed.

The front door opened slowly and in walked a tall boy with long black hair and a small red Pokemon.

"Hi Travis, hi Spice!" Rose called from the kitchen. The small fire Pokemon skipped straight over to Rose and began to lick her dangling fingers, trying to get all the maple syrup off of them. Rose giggled and pet Spice's head. Travis sat down next to me with a plate stacked with fresh pancakes and a glass of orange juice in hand.

"Was Spice good on her walk?" I asked my brother as he began to cut into his breakfast.

"About as good as usual", Travis responded dryly. "She knows better than to run out onto the street at least". Travis was fifteen, only two years younger than me. He was nearly finished with Trainers School now as he only had one year left before he graduated. He hadn't told anyone what he planned on doing after he was done with school but I was pretty sure he wanted to become a trainer too.

The legal age to obtain a Trainer's license had been increased from ten to fourteen about a decade back after a series of serious incidents and even deaths involving several very young and inexperienced trainers became the focus of public outcry. Many felt that ten was much too young an age for a child to set off into the world alone and it did not take long before Indigo League officials announced the increasing of the legal training age. The League had also attempted to introduce incentives for prospective trainers to stay in school all the way to age sixteen by promising a decent sum of money that could be used to help finance a Trainer journey would be awarded to those students who had an upstanding academic record at the time of their graduation. The League`s plan was not overly successful as many kids still dropped out of school the moment they turned fourteen but there was a decent number that stayed all the way to graduation in order to receive their bursary money.

Spice hopped up onto her hind legs and put her front paws on my lap. Her tongue lazily hung out the side of her mouth as she panted happily.

"Good girl Spice", I said as I scratched her behind the ears. Spice was still quite young, only about six months old. She had been found abandoned outside Saffron City by the local Nurse Joy about three months before and my family had decided to adopt the little Growlithe.

"Do you know which Pokemon of Professor Oak's you're going to choose?" my dad asked as he took a sip from his coffee mug.

The question caught me off guard as I suddenly realized how little I had thought about which Pokemon I wanted to begin my journey with. I took a long moment to think about it.

"I'm not sure", I finally admitted. "Maybe Bulbasaur, I think that would be a strong Pokemon to have".

"Maybe Bulbasaur and Spice can be friends", Rose suggested to which Spice barked her approval.

"Yes, that would be nice", my mom agreed happily as she cleared away our empty plates.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time. Ten minutes to eleven. There was less than forty-five minutes left before the bus to Pallet Town arrived at the depot.

"I guess I better go grab the last of my stuff", I called as I rose from the table and turned to head back upstairs.

* * *

It was nearly half past eleven when we finally arrived at the bus depot. A large royal blue coach bus sat parked outside the depot's main building. The name of the travel company, '_Arcanine Express'_ was painted in large red and gold lettering across the side of the bus. I could see people already stowing some larger luggage in the bus' lower compartment and boarding the vehicle. The driver stood outside, drinking from a large travel mug and reading a copy of _Pokemon Times_ magazine. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my bus ticket.

"Well kiddo, I guess this is it", my dad said quietly.

I turned around to look at my family, all of whom smiled back at me reassuringly.

"Good luck on your journey Matt", my mom smiled. "I know you'll be a first-class trainer in no time".

"Thanks mom", I grinned back. "I promise I'll be home soon, I want to come back and challenge the Gym here". My mom nodded and continued to smile, though I could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"And Rose", I continued, turning to my younger sister. "You and Travis need to work really hard at school and take good care of Spice while I'm gone".

Rose gave me a big goofy smile and a thumbs-up. Travis simply nodded and crossed his arms across his chest. I crouched down and rubbed Spice behind her ears. The little Fire Pokemon gave me a quick lick across the face and let out a few happy barks.

"Be good, buddy", I said quietly to her. "I'll make it home as soon as I can".

"Last call for boarding!" We all turned to see the bus driver with one foot already in the vehicle calling out to everyone still waiting around the depot building.

I picked my backpack and sleeping bag up off the ground and slung my bag over my shoulder. I was greeted almost instantly with a flurry of hugs and kisses and goodbyes from my parents who reluctantly let me go once the sound of the bus' engine being started took over the depot. With one last smile, I turned and jogged towards the bus and climbed aboard.

The driver stamped my ticket with some purple ink and ushered me to go find a seat. I found a pair of empty seats near the middle of the vehicle and threw my belongings down on the aisle seat before flopping down into the other. The driver put the bus into drive and we took off out of the depot, merging onto the main road out of town. The bus rumbled down the perfectly kept streets of Cerulean City until we reached the exit ramp for the Number One Highway where we were steered south and out of the urban center of the city. It wasn't long before we were driving out on the country roads, well away from city life. I could see farm houses out in the seemingly endless fields on either side of the road, Pokemon grazing in the beautiful green meadows.

The bus ride would not be a short one as the commercial road that connected Pallet Town and Cerulean was anything but straightforward. After a few hours of looking out the window at the passing landscapes, I decided to pull out some of my maps and start to look over them, just for something to do. I figured I would try to head due north from Pallet Town once I received my Starter Pokemon and make my way to Viridian City. My examining of the maps did not last too long, however as I quickly found trying to read the maps while on a vehicle that was moving anything but smoothly was making me nauseous. After a while I decided to give up on my trip planning for the moment and leaned back into my comfy seat, quickly nodding off into an afternoon nap.

* * *

When I finally woke up, I looked around expecting to see Pallet Town through the large window on my right. Instead, to my surprise, I found that we were still out on the highway even though the sun was beginning to set and the sky was streaked with the blues and purples that signaled that dusk was soon approaching. The outlines of trees and fences were still visible out along the side of the road as I rubbed my eyes as I adjusted to the dimmer light. Thoroughly confused, I pulled out my cell phone and checked the time- just after six in the evening. I had to double check the time just to be sure I was reading it correctly. I pulled out my stamped bus ticket from my pocket and re-read it:

_**DEPARTURE TIME: 11:30**_

_**ARRIVAL TIME: 4:30 (APPROX.)**_

We were almost two whole hours behind schedule. I got up from my seat and carefully made my way up to the driver at the front.

"Excuse me sir", I said to him, causing him to briefly glance back at me before turning his attention back to the road. "What's going on? I thought we were supposed to arrive in Pallet Town a long time ago".

The driver turned his head slightly to look at me again before letting out a tired sigh.

"I guess you must have been sleeping kid", he replied tiredly. "We broke down a few hours back, had to sit around waiting for a mechanic to come from Pewter City and fix us up. Lost maybe an hour and half, two hours".

I could feel my stomach drop. "So where are we now?" I asked.

The driver nodded his head towards a large sign up ahead that indicated an upcoming exit to Viridian City.

"I'd wager we're about another hour or so to Pallet", he said. "Sorry, kid".

I walked slowly back to my seat and threw myself down into it in defeat. I knew there was no way I'd be able to make it to Professor Oak's lab in time. My journey would have to wait another day.

* * *

By the time we pulled up into the Pallet Town bus depot it was well after seven and I knew Oak's lab must be closed for the day. I gathered up my things and headed into the depot building to find a map of the town. I grabbed a fold-out map from the information desk and quickly located the local Pokemon Center and Poké Mart. I decided I should head to the Mart first and pick up some food and supplies for my journey while I had the spare time.

It was dusk out when I stepped through the doors of the Poké Mart. The street lights shone into the store from the outside, covering the stocked shelves in an almost eerie glow. The man at the counter greeted me as I walked inside and I smiled and waved back in return. There were a few other people in the Mart all browsing through the shelves and cases filled with Pokemon related items. I grabbed a shopping basket from beside the counter and slowly drifted to the back of the store and began to browse through some shelves stocked with an assortment of spray bottles. I grabbed a couple of purple bottles of the shelf which were labeled 'Potion' and dropped them into my basket. I also threw in a clear bottle filled with and orange liquid that was labeled 'Antidote' and a few bottles of water. I also grabbed a sandwich wrapped in cellophane from a refrigerated shelf for dinner.

"So kid, I'm guessing you're still waiting on your first Pokemon", the clerk commented as he rang my purchases up at the cash register. I looked up from grabbing bills out of my wallet in surprise.

"Uh, yeah. How did you know?" I asked him. The man gave a dry chuckle.

"All these Pokemon items but you don't have any Poké Balls with you", he explained, pointing at my belt. "Looks like you're getting ready to start your journey".

"Yeah actually, that's pretty accurate", I said as the clerk handed me the shopping bag filled with my newly purchased items.

"Well kid, today you're in luck", the man grinned. "How'd you like to take some brand new Poké Ball technology out on your journey with you?"

I could feel my eyes light up. "Wow, I'd love to! What kind of new technology?"

The man reached under the counter and pulled out a type of Poké Ball I'd never seen before. The polished metal surface was completely white with a red band cutting it in half. The man tossed it up and caught it a few times.

"It's called a Premier Ball", he explained. "I just got a shipment of them fresh from Hoenn earlier this week". He handed me the ball and I accepted it with enthusiasm. "I'm supposed to give them away as a special promotional item. I bet a kid like you would make good use out of this".

"I'm sure I will", I assured him, clipping the shiny Ball to my belt loop. "Thank you very much sir".

"Ah, don't mention it", he said with a wave of his hand. "I've got a feeling it'll come in handy for you some day".

"I'll make sure to catch a really strong Pokemon with it then".

I thanked the clerk again for the Ball and headed out of the store. I could see the dark red roof of the Pokemon Center just down a few blocks and started walking towards it, pulling out my sandwich and snacking on it as I went. It was almost gone by the time I stepped through the front doors of the Pokemon Center. From what I had been told in Trainers School, Pokemon Centers were supposed to be able to accommodate travelling trainers with a room to stay in overnight, free of charge. I approached the Nurse Joy sitting at the front desk and asked her about a room to stay the night in. She handed me a key card and directed me to a room just down the hall. I quickly thanked her and headed off towards the room, ready to go straight to bed.

I unlocked the door with my key card and stepped inside. It was a simple room, just a twin bed leaning up against the far wall with clean white sheets and a wooden bedside table. I spotted a fold-out chair in the corner and a door to what I assumed must be an attached bathroom. It certainly was not a fancy hotel room, but for just the one night it would do just fine. I tossed my backpack and sleeping bag onto the fold-out chair and turned the lights off. I slipped out of my jacket and jeans before flopping down on my stomach onto the bed and closing my eyes. Today may not have been the start of my adventure but I was confident the next day would be. Within minutes I was fast asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well there it is, the first real chapter of this story up and published! How have I done so far? Again, reviews are welcome and highly appreciated. **

**I've decided to take somewhat of an unusual approach to writing this story in that I will be writing from the first-person point-of-view of multiple characters (only three characters in this story and more in my planned sequels). I'll try to make things as clear as possible with regards to which character is narrating a particular chapter by placing the character's name in the chapter title and at the top of the page. If at any point I fail to make clear which character is narrating please let me know in the reviews and I'll do my very best to fix it. I won't be introducing another narrating character until Chapter 8 so its not a big issue at the moment, but I did want to give everyone fair warning in advance. **

**I've written up to Chapter 9 of this story so hopefully I should be able to get some more Chapters up in the coming days. Some of them need to be spell checked, edited and so forth very heavily first but nonetheless I'll do my best to get them posted sooner rather than later.**

**Till next chapter!**

**-Kingpredator125**


	3. Chapter 2: Matt Erikson

**Chapter 2**

**Matt Erikson**

I stood at the base of a huge hill early the next morning, Professor Oak's incredible laboratory sitting neatly at its crest. Several wind turbines peaked over the top of the lab's burgundy roof and towering trees lined the stone pathway leading up to the lab's main doors. It took me several minutes to make the climb all the way up to lab and I had to take a few moments to catch my breath. I pressed the buzzer next to the large double doors and stood for a moment, waiting. After several seconds a man's voice came through intercom next to the buzzer.

"Hello there, how may I help you?"

"Uh, hi there Professor Oak this is Matt Erikson from Cerulean City. I was supposed to receive a starter Pokemon here yesterday, and I know I didn't come but I can explain", I answered quickly.

"Oh, Matt! Yes, yes I was surprised I didn't get to see you yesterday but don't worry I'm sure we can work something out. I'll let you in". A few moments later I heard the lock of the door click and the door swung open. Standing before me was an older looking man with short grey hair dressed in a red polo shirt, khakis and an old-looking white lab coat.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Matt", Oak said cheerfully, extending his hand to me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Professor", I replied, shaking his hand.

"Well come on in Matt", Oak said, ushering me into his lab. "I think we have a lot to talk about".

Professor Oak led me through a large foyer into a small sitting room. The room was lined with bookcases overflowing with what appear to be textbooks and other research materials. I took a seat on one of the couches next to the large coffee table in the center of the room while Oak poured two cups of tea from an expensive looking set of china. He passed me a cup then sat on the couch across the table from me with his own cup of tea in hand. The Professor asked me questions about my family and about school as we drank our tea, nodding and listening intently to the stories and anecdotes I told him. I was quickly impressed with the genuine interest that the Professor showed in my stories and wondered if he was as attentive with all the trainers that he spoke too.

"So, Matt", Oak began after a period of silence following one of my stories about school. "I was wondering what happened to you yesterday evening. I hope it wasn't anything serious, was it?"

"Oh, no Professor it was just my bus", I explained. "We broke down and got delayed big time, it was already dark out by the time we arrived in Pallet and I figured the Lab would be closed for the evening".

"Oh, I see". Oak finished his cup of tea with one large sip and placed his empty tea cup down on a coaster on the coffee table. "Not to worry though, it'll all work out. Well, now that we've had our morning tea I suppose we should get to the matter of your first Pokemon".

I instantly perked up at the mention of finally receiving my starter Pokemon. Oak led me out of the sitting room and down a set of wide hallways. The walls, floor, doors and just about everything else it seemed were pristinely clean and polished. Oak had clearly made it a point to keep his extensive laboratory neat and tidy. Finally we headed through a set of glass double doors and up a short set of stairs into a large room. Large machines and devices lined the walls to my right and left, many of them with blinking lights and buzzing circuits. A huge computer console sat at the end of the row of machines on my left. At the back of the room there was a small sitting area facing the large windows that dominated the far wall. In the center of the room sat a large circular pedestal towards which the Professor led me.

"Welcome to my research floor", he said with a wave of his hand.

"It's very impressive", I admitted as I looked around the room at all the complex machinery.

"Now onto the business of your Starter Pokemon", Oak continued, drawing my attention back from a machine in the corner that was buzzing loudly and appeared to be printing of dozens of sheets of research data. The Professor was focused on the pedestal that sat in front of us, drumming his fingers against it lightly. The pedestal was made entirely of metal and had a completely flat top, aside from three small circular indentations.

"Yesterday I had three other Trainers come visit me about receiving their Starter Pokemon", Oak explained. "They each chose one of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Unfortunately, I only had one of each Pokemon to give". I could feel my heart sink into my stomach. Just my luck, there was no Starter Pokemon left to choose from.

"Now, I may not have a traditional starter Pokemon to give you", Oak continued and my interest was piqued again. "But I do have one other option if you'd like". He presses a small silver button on the side of the pedestal I hadn't noticed before and a circular piece of the flat top popped off. Out of the hole in the pedestal rose a Poké Ball with a small yellow lightning bolt etched on the red upper half. Oak picked the Ball up and pressed the button in the Ball's center. In a flash of white light, a small yellow Pokemon emerged on top of the pedestal. Its long ears twitch as it adjusted to its new surroundings.

"_Pi-Pikachu_", it said as it stretched its small arms out.

"Matt, I'd like you to meet Pikachu", Oak grinned. "He's yours to keep, if you'd like".

I looked down at the small Electric Pokemon who returned my gaze with curious eyes. I smiled down at him.

"I'd love to take him", I grinned. "What do you think, Pikachu?"

The Pokemon looked from me to Oak, who gave the small yellow Pokemon a confident smile.

"_Pika Pi-Chu_", Pikachu squeaked, looking back at me with wide eyes.

"Well I guess that settles it", Oak chuckled. "Matt, from here on out you and Pikachu are partners". He handed me Pikachu's Poké Ball which I took gladly. Professor Oak then walked over to his desk by the large computer and grabbed a handful of items I couldn't get a good look at. He walked back over to me, hands full, and dumped the items onto the pedestal. He first handed me a red device about twice the size of my cell phone.

"This is a Pokedex, a Third Generation model", Oak explains. "It is a digital encyclopedia containing the information on all the Pokémon we know of in this world. I hope it will serve as an invaluable resource throughout your travels. It is also what will identify you as a licensed Pokemon Trainer. Once you turn it on, it will ask you to register yourself into its personal database. The Pokedex is also fingerprint protected so once you are registered in it only you will be able to turn it on, change personal information and adjust some other settings. This way your Pokedex will be utterly useless to anyone that may think of stealing it. Once your Trainer license is registered in the Pokedex, you will also be able to sign up with for the Pokemon League in any major city across Kanto".

"Wow, that's pretty cool", I said, trying to absorb the wealth of information Professor Oak was sharing with me. I opened one of the outside pockets of my backpack and slipped my new Pokedex inside.

"A Pokemon trainer may only carry six Pokemon with them at a time", Oak continued. "That Pokedex has already been programmed to send new Pokemon you capture to my lab should you already have six with you. You can also send over any Pokemon you want to leave with me by using one of the Pokemon Transfer Machines located in most Pokemon Centers across Kanto".

"Oh man, that's so cool!" I gawked as the Professor turned to gather up some more of the items he had brought over.

"Yes, quite cool indeed", he agreed with a chuckle. He handed me five Poké Balls which I tucked into another one of the outside pockets of my backpack. I pulled out Pikachu's Poké Ball, ready to call back the small electric Pokémon. At the sight of his Poké Ball, Pikachu flinched and jumped off the pedestal, running to Professor Oak and hiding behind his legs. I looked at the Professor, surprised at Pikachu's behaviour.

"Oh, right, Matt I forgot to mention it. Pikachu isn't very fond of its Poké Ball", Oak explained, rubbing his forehead with his right hand. "Pikachu is still quite young, I'm not sure if he's even ready for battle yet".

"Oh, I see." I pressed the center button of the Ball and it shrunk down to the size of a golf ball in my hand. I clipped the ball to my belt loop and smiled at Pikachu who had peeked his head out from his hiding spot behind Oak's legs.

"Don't worry Pikachu", I assured the small Electric-Type. "If you don't like your Poké Ball you can travel outside with me. How's that sound?"

"_Pi Pikachu_!" the Mouse Pokemon squeaked happily.

"Well, it looks like you two are just about set to go", Oak smiled. The Professor led us down the stairs back to the lab's main floor and into the main foyer.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Oak reached into his back pocket and pulled out a blue rectangular box and handed it to me.

"This is a Badge Case", he explained. "It can hold up to eight badges, the number necessary to gain entrance into the Indigo League competition. I'm sure you'll be able to fill it up in no time at all."

"Thanks Professor."

"The Indigo League competition is just under a year away", Oak informed me. "July first of next year will be the opening ceremonies. If you want to take part in the tournament you'll need to win eight Pokemon League badges."

Today was the thirty-first of July, meaning I would have about eleven months to collect my eight badges in order to gain entrance to the Indigo League.

"Thanks for everything Professor", I said as I pulled the straps of my backpack tighter. "I'm going to earn those badges and enter the Pokemon League, no doubt about it."

"And I look forward to seeing you there", Oak replied. "I'd recommend heading north to Viridian City to begin your journey. There is a very reputable gym there you may want to challenge."

"Thanks Professor, I'll definitely head that way then", I said, encouraged hearing the Professor's suggestion supported my initial plan. "I'll be sure to let you know when I reach Viridian City." With that, I pushed through the double doors and out of the lab with Pikachu in tow.

"Take care Matt!" Oak called after me. "And good luck!"

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**Author's Note: This chapter was a little slower paced but I think it was necessary to really set up Matt's Pokemon Journey. The next chapter will be much more exciting I promise! **

**In addition, I've begun posting character art on my deviantart account so a link to them should be posted on my profile page soon**

**Till Next Chapter,**

**- Kingpredator125**


	4. Chapter 3: Matt Erikson

**A/N: Before I start I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those who have followed, favourited and/or reviewed this story. Getting those notifications telling me that new people have followed and favourited and reading all the positive feedback in the reviews section is a great feeling and gets me motivated to keep on writing. So thanks to all you readers who make stories like these possible!**

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**Chapter Three**

**Matt Erikson**

I brushed back my long brown hair from my forehead and took a long sip from my water bottle and then offered Pikachu a sip too. The little electric Pokemon gratefully lapped up several gulps from the bottle's cap into which I poured his water. We had been for several hours now and had finally decided to break for lunch just off the main pathway from Pallet Town to Viridian City. I had picked up a small bag of Pokemon food at the Pallet Town Poké Mart for Pikachu, half of which he had wolfed down when we stopped to eat. For a small Pokemon, he was incredibly hungry. I silently hoped that he would grow and develop properly and not just get fat from eating so much.

By my estimates, we were likely just over halfway from Pallet to Viridian. The clerk at the Poké Mart had assured me that Viridian was only a day's walk away and so far we seem to be on track to make it there by evening. I packed up my supplies and called Pikachu over so we could get back on the road. The two of us set off once again, heading due north down the well-travelled pathway through the sweltering midday heat of the sunny summer day. The tens of thousands of trainers who had passed through this way had worn the grass pathway down to a mere dirt road that was a sandy brown color. Pikachu followed at my heel, walking along on two legs, taking in its new surroundings.

All around us great trees towered over our heads, branches full of healthy green leaves. Tall bushes and greenery grew unkempt along either side of the worn pathway, small colourful flowers poking their heads out here and there. We encountered a group of Spearow digging at what appeared to be some berries up ahead in the middle of the road. I was anxious to learn more about Pikachu's battling ability, so we decided to try and engage these wild Flying-Type Pokemon in battle. My excitement faded quickly, however, as Pikachu's Thundershock attack did little more than startle the Spearow who flew off quickly.

"Don't worry Pikachu", I said to the disappointed Pokemon. "You just need some practice, that's all."

We continued our walking, pressing forward without encountering another Pokemon for over an hour. I spotted a large wooden sign up ahead, just off the side of the path, and jogged towards it. Pikachu had to run on all fours behind me to keep up. I leaned over with my hands on my knees to catch my breath as I read the faded sign.

_VIRIDIAN CITY 5KM_

"Alright, Pikachu", I said to my partner. "Shouldn't be much longer now."

"_Pi Pika_!" the little Pokemon agreed happily.

I grabbed my water bottle and took a quick sip. The sun was slowly starting to descend over the lush green tree tops. We probably had another two or three hours before it started to get dark out- likely more than enough time to reach Viridian. Pikachu and I began our walk once again, picking up the pace a little. Pikachu had to follow me on four legs to keep up but didn't seem to be getting overworked. The little Electric Pokemon was not all that powerful yet but it was clear he possessed a good amount of speed. I smiled down at my partner who smiled back up at me. In time Pikachu would become strong, I could feel it.

A sudden shriek broke me out of my thoughts and I scanned the sides of the path for its source. About fifteen feet ahead of me a purple snake-like Pokemon shot out of the bushes to the right of the path.

_'An Ekans', _I realized

The Pokemon let out a shriek identical to the one I had heard moments earlier. Pikachu and I slowed to a stop as a red haired figure jumped out of the bushes after the Ekans and turned to face us.

The red haired boy smirked. He was clearly a few inches taller than me and looked to be a year or two older as well. His long red hair was parted down the center and looked as though it hadn't been washed in several days. He squinted at me with a furrowed brow, his dark eyes piercing me from across the space that divided us. He was dressed in an unzipped, red leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath. His dark brown khakis were caked in dirt and covered with grass stains. I spotted several Poke Balls clipped to his belt.

"Hey there!" I called to him. "I guess you're a trainer too, huh?"

The boy gave a dry laugh. His voice was whiny, yet still had a corrosive edge to it.

"Ha! Nice guess smart guy", he shouted back. I frowned at him. I'd known this guy for thirty seconds and he'd already begun to rub me the wrong way.

"So what's the deal buddy? We gonna battle or what?" he called.

"Uh..." I glanced down at Pikachu who looked up at me nervously. "What do you think buddy?"

"Hey! Are you guys chickening out or are we gonna battle?" the boy yelled impatiently. I spun around to face him.

"Calm down dude, what's your problem?" I shot back. Pikachu stepped in front of me, an angry scowl on his small face. Clearly he wasn't impressed at being called a coward.

"Alright, let's get this battle started!" the red haired boy yelled. His Ekans reared its head up in the air and hissed in approval. "Ekans, go! Use Wrap!"

Ekans hissed again and came slithering towards Pikachu with surprising speed. I took a deep breath and tried to focus.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" I called. Pikachu jumped nimbly out of the way as Ekans threw itself towards Pikachu. "Try a Thundershock!" The little Electric Pokemon clenched his body in concentration and small sparks danced across his bright red cheeks. Several small bolts of electricity flew towards Ekans and hit the Poison Pokemon in the midsection. The Snake Pokemon shook them off easily, little more than annoyed by the attack. I cursed under my breath and Pikachu let out a small cry of frustration and disappointment.

"Are you kidding? That's all your little Pikachu can do?" The red haired boy began to laugh almost hysterically. "I guess we can wrap this one up in a hurry, Ekans." Ekans coiled itself up and hissed at Pikachu.

"Use Poison Sting, go!" Ekans lunged at Pikachu, purple stingers flying from its mouth.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" I shouted. Pikachu jumped out of the way of the attack and scampered along the edge of the path with Ekans still trailing it. Pikachu cried out and crashed to the ground as several of Ekans' poison stingers hit him squarely in the back.

"Pikachu, no!"

"Wrap it up Ekans!" the boy yelled. Ekans pounced on Pikachu who was still down, wrapping my Pokemon up in its coils. Pikachu struggled to free itself from Ekans' grip to no avail. The Snake Pokemon tossed Pikachu across the dirt road and the Electric Pokemon crashed into the side of a large oak tree. My Pokemon struggled to move on the ground, clearly defeated.

"No, Pikachu!" I yelled. Without hesitating I started sprinting towards my Pokemon. "This battle is over!" I couldn't tell if the other Trainer had even heard me but I kept on running. I was only a few feet away from Pikachu when I heard his voice.

"Ekans, finish this with Slam!"

My heart leapt into my throat as I dove in front of Pikachu. Almost instantly, I could feel Ekans slam head-first into my left shoulder. I cried out in pain as I crashed to the ground next to Pikachu. When I opened my eyes, I found my Pokemon staring back at me with a look of horror and disbelief, his small blue eyes full of fear. I propped myself up on my right elbow, trying to keep my weight off my throbbing left shoulder. Ekans sat just a few feet away, looking ready to pounce at its owner's command. I looked over at the red haired boy who was grinning devilishly at Pikachu and I lying on the ground.

"Are you out of your mind?!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. The boy adjusted his leather jacket and for the first time I noticed something unusual about his shirt. It wasn't purely black as I originally assumed, but there was a large red letter R across it.

"What the... Who are you?" I asked quietly, still in considerable pain.

The boy laughed darkly as he strode over to where Pikachu and I lay.

"Well now that I've defeated you I guess there's no harm in telling you who I am", he smirked, sweeping loose hair away from his face. "The name's Curtis. I'm a member of Team Rocket, only an entry level position but whatever." He gave a dry laugh and patted his Ekans on the head.

"Normally I'd take your Pokemon but I wouldn't want such a puny little Pikachu", Curtis sneered.

"Take my Pokemon?" I asked in alarm. "What are you talking about?"

"It's the Team Rocket way", Curtis replied simply. "We're out to catch the strongest Pokemon in the world by whatever means necessary; poaching, stealing, whatever."

"That's disgusting", I spat. "You have no right to steal another Trainer's Pokemon." Out of the corner of my eye I could see Pikachu get back on his feet and face Curtis.

"Oh please." Curtis makes a noise somewhere between a cough and a laugh. "We're done here."

All of a sudden, Pikachu's cheeks began to spark. Golden sparks of electricity danced across his face and along the ground between us and Curtis. Curtis hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure as to what to do. I knew I had to take advantage of this brief hesitation and ordered Pikachu to attack, dearly hoping he would be able to pull it off.

"Pikachu, use Thundershock!" I shouted. My Pokemon clenched his body and with a loud yell released an incredible blast of electricity across the entire clearing.

"What the-!" Curtis dove to the ground and covered his head as forks of electricity flew through the air towards anything that moved. A huge blast connected with Ekans who had been coiled up behind Curtis, sending it flying across the path with crash. Pikachu finally relaxed and the Thundershock attack dissipated, leaving several nearby trees and bushes scorched and blackened. My Electric-Type Pokemon collapsed on the ground completely exhausted. I pulled myself up to my knees and scooped up my tired Pokemon in my arms.

"That was amazing, Pikachu", I told my Pokemon softly. "You take a good rest; I'll get us to a Pokemon Center as fast as I can."

I turned my head as I heard Curtis walking across the pathway towards his injured Pokemon. He pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled his Ekans in a flash of red light. I glanced from the exhausted Pokemon in my arms to the red haired member of Team Rocket standing several feet away from me.

"I may not know much about this Team Rocket but I know what they're doing is wrong", I spoke up. "I'm going to stop you from stealing Pokemon from innocent people, I promise you that."

Curtis snorted and turned around to look at me.

"I guess we'll have to see about that", he replied quietly. With that, he turned and sprinted back into the woods. It wasn't long before the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance.

I staggered to my feet, my shoulder still in a decent amount of pain from Ekans' attack. I walked slowly over to my bag and used my good arm to sling it over my shoulders.

"We'll be in Viridian City soon Pikachu, I promise." The little Pokemon opened his eyes and tried to manage a smile. With Pikachu still cradled in my arms, I turned and begin to once again walk down the path towards Viridian City.

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**Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, this one contained the first battle scene and I'm interested to know what you think! Writing Pokemon battles can be tricky but I think this one turned out pretty decent. **

**In response to reviews:**

**XxXLullabyXxXBluesXxX-** Glad you enjoyed the chapter, I hope you'll find the rest just as interesting!

**Something dictionary related- **I totally see why you would be concerned about this being a copy of Ash's journey, with the whole arriving late and getting a Pikachu who doesn't like his Poke Ball thing, but I assure you it will be a very original story from here on out.

**Iceman99-** Glad you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks for the positive feedback!

**And thanks again to all those who have followed, favourited and just simply viewed this story!**

**Till next chapter,**

**-Kingpredator125**


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